Should I worry about this?

[LCHIEN]

You broke rule one: If it ain't broke don't fix it!

But now you really do need to get a new one.....

ROFLMAO oldest rule in the book.


OK, seriously now time to take it back to HF and tell them the paint is flaking off, you need a new one.

[dbhost]

ROFLMAO oldest rule in the book.


OK, seriously now time to take it back to HF and tell them the paint is flaking off, you need a new one.

I don't think the extended warranty goes out 3 years, and to top it off, the newer model just looks like it's falling apart on the shelf...

No biggie. This gives me an excuse to throw a new regulator on it, I was never happy with the way the original worked anyway... And to heck with stripping it all the way. I am just gonna sand off the bad sections, hit it with some alcohol to clean it, prime, paint, paint again and buff... Should be fine for as long as I am going to care about a HF compressor. I am just trying to stop rust, not keep it pretty...

[LCHIEN]

three years old? And I thought you were talking like you just broke it in last week.

And if you want to save the labels and the paint is flaking off then you just need to exacto=knife around the label and it should just peel off... At least try it...

[cabinetman]

Okay here's the story. Today I serviced my air compressor. Second oil change ever, first was the post break in oil change. I never was able to fully get the oil off. Well this time, I spilled oil on the tank, again.... and when I wiped the oil up. paint from the tank flaked off on my rag...

I don't think the extended warranty goes out 3 years, and to top it off, the newer model just looks like it's falling apart on the shelf...

This sounded like it was a new compressor, not one 3 years old. IMO, that's way too long to go between oil changes even if it just sat unused.

.

[dbhost]

There isn't any mention in the manual, how often should the oil get changed? I waited until the oil started changing color and then dumped it.

What should the change interval be?

By the same token, the manual says to make sure all nuts, bolts, etc are tight. What torque specs am I supposed to use?

[cabinetman]

There isn't any mention in the manual, how often should the oil get changed? I waited until the oil started changing color and then dumped it.

What should the change interval be?

If used very little, or just sitting, once a year minimum. The oil is the lifeblood of the compressor, and changing it more often wouldn't hurt. OTOH. for one used daily, about 250-300 hrs of operation. Along with changing the oil, the air intake filter should be cleaned (if possible), or replaced if damaged.

By the same token, the manual says to make sure all nuts, bolts, etc are tight. What torque specs am I supposed to use?

If torque specs aren't given, just tight is adequate. I've never used a torque wrench on nuts or bolts that had no specs listed.

.

[dbhost]

Here is the status so far...

#1. I have simply buzzed the bad flaky spots on the tank down with a flap wheel on my grinder, then followed up with my disk sander... wiped clean, primed and painted with gloss black Duplicolor the same stuff I used on my brush guard and nerf bars on my truck... It is a perfect match to the OE color...

I have replaced the bad pieces, and added the features I don't like. So here's the pics...

I added a 1/4" brass street elbow, teflon taped, and mounted up. pipe nipple in place and a heavy duty brass ball valve replace the pitiful petcock valve that HF shipped this tank with. This will make it MUCH easier to dump the tank on a regular basis...


The OEM regulator was replaced with a Husky 1/4" regulator rated at 200 PSI. It works far better than stock. However the flow direction is backwards from stock, so I had to orient the gauge to the top so I could at least come close to seeing both gauges at once...


Lastly, the other side view, the adjustment knob on the regulator turns much easier than the OEM, and you can see the brass ball valve, much better quality than OEM... And of course my Milton quick disconnect...


I paid $80.00 for the compressor brand new, including the 2 year extended warranty... All this replacement hardware laid me back about $50.00.... And there is a VERY noticeable difference in quality of the components...

I have already put it to use, and it does translate into an easier to use compressor. I should have swapped the regulator out 3 years ago! There are no component rattles as the compressor runs any more...

On the subject of maintenance, I need to look at the air filter. Not sure how it could be cleaned, and even less sure how to get a replacement...

[cwsmith]

dbhost,

I've been following your repaint and other changes: good post.

However, I just want to make sure that the "200 psi rated "Regulator" that you replaced was in fact the "regulator" and not the "pressure switch. (the photo shows both).

On the first "read" I was concerned that you replaced the "pressure switch" to something rated higher. That's a "NO-NO"... so I just wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing.

CWS

[Mr__Bill]

By the same token, the manual says to make sure all nuts, bolts, etc are tight. What torque specs am I supposed to use?

My father's rule of thumb was "Tighten it to the point just before something stretches crushes!"

My father had a lot of helpful advice like that.

Bill on the left coast

[dbhost]

It was definately the regulator. The pressure switch is OEM... And the compressor functions as expected. Pressure switch shuts it off when it should, turns it on when it should etc...

[cabinetman]

My only suggestion would be to install the brass ball valve right where the output from the compressor exits, and then install the regulator/gauge and then the QD. Reason...the way you have it it there is constant pressure on the gauge even when no hose is hooked up. If the regulator or gauge develops a leak, and the compressor is plugged in, it will drain the tank, and the compressor will run continuously.

.

[dbhost]

Not a bad idea, but if I am leaving this rig long enough for that to be a problem, the compressor is unplugged anyway... This configuration is the way the OEM rigged it... On the plus side, I still have the HF gauge which should still work fine...

[mpc]

One thing I found with my compressor (Sears, not HF) was that the regulator really limited the maximum airflow rate even when cranked all the way open. And this is on a 2HP/20gallon 6+ CFM rated compressor, not a small pancake or hotdog compressor. I have a couple air tools that need a LOT of CFM to work - but only for a minute or two at a time. They were useless until I put a "T" and second ball valve ahead of the regulator. Now I can plug those tools into that unregulated port (100 psi is my compressor's cutoff so it's within the tool rating) and get a LOT of CFMs until the tank pressure drops. I also use 3/8ths instead of 1/4 inch hose whenever possible.

I also added one of those glass moisture collection/separation gizmos ahead of the regulators. Seems to catch a little moisture so it must be helping.

mpc

[dbhost]

My air tools require a regulated air supply, I would not be well served with bypassing the regulator entirely. Not sure of the nailers but I know the impact wrench, air ratchet, die grinder, and air hammer want to have the air regulated to 50 PSI, my spray guns want 30 PSI. Actually specifically my HF nailers don't specify specific pressure, they just say to stay UNDER 120 PSI... which my compressor can't produce anyway... But they seem to work well regulated to 90 PSI, which is fine, that is what my hose is rated for anyway...

I got to do some of the testing tonight. The entire system seems to work well, got some more of the ceiling painted using the HF spray gun with no issues. Air flow actually seems a little better with the new regulator. No idea why, just does... Draining the tank is now about a 15 second experience instead of a 3 minute slow bleed down, fiddle with the POS petcock valve type of ordeal... I am MUCH happier with the compressor now!

[mpc]

I use the unregulated port only for the high-CFM tools that specify operation at 90-100 psi. There are a lot of other tools that, as dbhost noted, have lower operating or absolute maximum pressure limits. I don't use those with unregulated pressure; either they get a pressure regulator right at the tool or I use the standard regulated port. Regulators right at the tool helps keep the pressure more constant - the closer the regulator is to the tool the better for some tools... especially certain spray guns. Getting the long air hose ahead of the regulator lets the regulator react more quickly to changes in tool air demand.

For most air tools I use the compressor's normal regulated port. My suggested "T" was an option for those "big CFM tools" that require ~100 psi air pressure to operate. I should have made that clearer in my original post. Using unregulated air has two requirements:
1: that the compressor kick-off and kick-on pressures are fairly close to each other so there isn't a huge drop in pressure before the compressor turns back on.
2: that the kick-off (maximum) compressor pressure is below the tool's rated max pressure. My compressor cycles between 80 and 100psi which fits many tools that have 125psi max & 90 psi operating ratings. Many compressors today cycle off at 125 or even 150 psi which is beyond most tool ratings. Personally, I think such compressor pressures are too high; I'd rather the compressor be designed for a bit less pressure and more CFMs.

mpc